General Questions

What is Ionizing Radiation?

Ionizing radiation consists of subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves that are energetic enough to detach electrons from atoms or molecules, ionizing them.

Two of the most common forms of ionizing radiation are gamma rays and x-rays. Both forms of ionizing radiation are almost identical with exception to their source of origination.

How is Ionizing Radiation Generated?

Ionizing radiation comes from radioactive sources such as cobalt 60 and cesium 137 and non-radioactive sources such as x-ray tubes. Radioactive sources are unstable materials where gamma rays originate from the nucleus. x-rays originate in the electron fields surrounding the nucleus or are machine-produced.

What is Ionizing Radiation Used for?

Because of the penetrating properties of ionizing radiation and their ability to kill microorganisms, ionizing radiation is used to sterilize or reduce the microbial load of many different types of products such as medical devices, packaging, cosmetics, foods, and agricultural products. It is also used to alter the properties of many different polymers through recombination, cross-linkage, and cross scission.

Why use x-ray versus gamma produced Ionizing radiation?

Gamma ionizing radiation is produced by radioactive sources such as cobalt 60 or cesium 137 and is dangerous requiring heavy shielding and high levels of security to protect. The unstable material is constantly decaying and cannot be turned off. x-ray ionizing radiation is produced by a x-ray tube therefore it can be turned off when it is not being used and it requires much less shielding. At the end the of unit’s lifecycle, the unit does not have any radioactive source and therefore does not require the expensive disposal costs associated with radioactive sources that continue to degrade over hundreds of years.

Does the RS 3400 require external cooling?

No, the RS 3400 uses a self-contained water to air exchange system.

Is the RS 3400 Blood Irradiator cleared by the FDA for GVHD?

Yes, the RS 3400 was cleared by the USFDA for marketing for the irradiation of blood for the prevention of graft verses host disease (GVHD).

How does the RS 3400 differ from other x-ray irradiators?

The RS 3400 is designed to have the blood bags rotate around the Quastar™ x-ray emitter using our patented carousel and therefore delivers superior uniformity.
Unlike other x-ray blood irradiators, the RS 3400 is completely self-contained and requires no external water supply for tube cooling.
The RS 3400 is engineered for extreme reliability as it uses the proven Quastar™ x-ray emitter.
The RS 3400 has only ONE x-ray tube and ONE power supply.

How does the RS 3400 differ from a Cs-137 gamma irradiator??

The RS 3400 uses a Rad Source patented Quastar™ x-ray emitter and therefore contains NO radioactive isotopes. It can be turned on and off, similar to a light bulb. As a result, there is no Nuclear Site License, Homeland Security issues, or room shielding requirements.

Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)

SIT is an environmentally-friendly pest management solution where the population of insects is controlled by releasing sterile males in a targeted area and protecting the area against invasion or re-invasion. First successful use of SIT to control screwworm – Island of Curacao. For over 70 years, SIT has been successfully applied in over 6 continents.

Is Non-GMO Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) right for you?

Pests are harmful to both the agricultural industry and human health. Rapid reproduction and population growth of these pests results in agricultural losses in crops and livestock, economic damage, and uncontrolled spread of harmful diseases called vector-borne diseases, which are carried by certain blood-feeding organisms such as mosquitoes and transmitted to humans through their bites. One method that is used to eliminate pests is called sterile insect technique (SIT). SIT uses radiation to mass-sterilize male pests in a population, and these males are unable to produce offspring when mating with females. SIT has been successfully used to control invasive insect pests since the 1940’s.

Rad Source creates and manufactures cost-efficient and safe x-ray irradiation instruments specifically designed for SIT, reducing the burden of pests and vector-borne diseases throughout the world.

Equipment

SIT Contact Form

Patented Quastar® Photonic Decontamination™ Technology

Our patented Quastar™ x-ray irradiation technology is scientifically proven to deplete harmful pests to prevent disease, restore prosperity to the agricultural industry, and improve the health and well-being of the human population.

Learn About Quastar

Environmentally Friendly Insect Control

Non-GMO SIT is a clean, renewable energy used to sterilize mass-reared insects. The process allows the treated insects to remain sexually competitive yet cannot produce offspring without involving genetic engineering.

Patented Carousel Circulation Technology

Our high capacity, single chamber design that is integrated with a multi canister carousel technology allows for maximum throughput.

Cheaper Alternative To Gamma

NO decay curve calculation
NO need for secure/shielded room
NO nuclear site license required
NO added safety costs.

Equipment

RS 2400 Series

Rad Source designs and manufactures cost-efficient and safe x-ray irradiation instruments specifically designed for Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), reducing the burden of pests and vector-borne diseases throughout the world.

View the RS 2400 Series